Our product management guy, Michel Guillet, shared an incredibly simple analogy about the manner by which we, as individuals, acquire data. It's a concept that has really stuck with me, and that I share on the road when I address questions about the kinds and amounts of data to include in a dashboard or data visualization.

In his blog on the subject, Michel compares and contrasts our appetite and appreciation for data to that of a data gourmet and a data gourmand. Rather than provide you with a synopsis, I have captured the copy from his blog below. Maybe it will stick with you, too.

Being a Data Gourmet?

I grew up in a bilingual household where we spoke French and English. Many of us who've been exposed to other languages realize that there are some words that just don't translate well into English.

One of the words that got used often in our family was the French word gourmand. Its closest translation in English is gluttony, but how often does anybody ever say that word? Probably the simplest way to think of it is the antithesis of gourmet, or even better, someone who prefers quantity over quality.

While there can sometimes by a negative connotation with the phrase, "Il est gourmand," ("He is gourmand"), it can also be a recognition of someone's preferences.

To this day, even though my French has gotten pretty bad, I still occasionally refer to people as gourmet or gourmand. It could be while I'm sitting in a restaurant, standing behind them in line at Costco or even hearing about their current data initiative.

What is a Data Gourmet?

Just like a food gourmet, a data gourmet is someone interested in something distinctive, visually appealing and inspired by results or action taken. It isn't about hordes of numbers or metrics. It's about getting the right metrics in place, putting them in the right context and letting them stand out.

Think of the chef who prepares a gourmet meal. He or she not only wants to stimulate your taste buds, but also hopes that their use of color, plating and white space will appeal to you and your visual senses, as well.

What is a Data Gourmand?

So, as I alluded to earlier, not everyone is a gourmet. Many people value quantity over quality. As it relates to data, someone who is a gourmand is probably unsure of what they really want to do with all of the data they are requesting. They figure it best to get as much as they can while they can, especially if they aren't sure what they will do with it.

Unfortunately, they probably never have been exposed to a really useful dashboard or visualization. Ultimately, what they think will satiate them and potentially their users is as much data as possible. However, the volume of data would net a number of metrics, charts and gauges, etc. that would be more than they could ever consume.

Working with a Data Gourmand.

When you find yourself in a situation where you are working with a data gourmand (and you will - it's just a matter of time), don't look down your well-trained visualization palate at them. Instead, gently guide them along a path of visual-epicurean transformation.

Most likely, they're going to want to load up their dashboard plate with every bit of data junk they can find. Start by getting them to see their dashboard as a blank palette to meet specific goals vs. an empty pallet to load up everything they don't need.

As they select different metrics, invest the extra time to train them to carefully select just the right information that provides the balance their data diet needs for a healthy body. As they make their selections, help them to see that it's okay to have favorite metrics. As Amanda Cox of the New York Times says, "Data isn't like your kids. You don't have to pretend to love them equally."

Once you've finished, ask yourself these questions. Does everything in front of your gourmand now have a reason to be there? Did they pause in appreciation or comment that they can't wait to use it? If so, you may well be on your way to executive data-chef status.

Have a data gourmand/gourmet story of your own? We'd love to hear about it in the comments below.

"I agree that more is usually better...if you are a sophisticated data analyst and you understand what you are looking at. However, more often than not, this ""more data"" is thrown at users who aren't data experts and are just trying to get their job done. For them, the right thing to do is to reduce and refine the data that is presented. Respect their limited attention and give them only the data they need. "

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Sara Moore

September 19, 2017 04:19 PM

"I love that phrase, ""Data Gourmand""! I know I've worked with a few in the past, and when it comes to gathering data, you definitely want a Data Gourmand on your team. For analysis, it's better to have too much data to look at then too little! What do you think?